All publications: cooperatives

ILO Brief

Promoting formalization outcomes in Employment-Intensive Investment Programme

Brief

Mapping the social and solidarity economy in Mongolia

ILO Working Paper 176

Inclusive social insurance: Exploring real solutions to reach the self-employed

Drawing from ten country case studies, this working paper sheds light on a set of ongoing debates surrounding the design and implementation of solutions to extend social insurance coverage to self-employed workers.

STRENGTHEN2

Employment impact assessment of the Bwanje Valley Irrigation Scheme, Malawi

This report is an employment impact assessment of the Bwanje Valley Irrigation Scheme (BVIS) in Malawi, focusing on the effects of improved irrigation following the construction of the Bwanje Valley Dam in 2019.

Brief

Mapping the social and solidarity economy in Viet Nam

International Year of Cooperatives

Cooperatives: Beyond the dichotomy between non-profit and for-profit - A joint ILO-ICA brief

Implementing the ILO Guidelines Concerning Statistics of Cooperatives: Insights from five countries (2025)

COOP-STATS

Measuring Cooperatives: An information guide on the ILO Guidelines concerning Statistics of Cooperatives (Second edition, 2025)

Information sheet

The ILO and the social and solidarity economy in Latin America and the Caribbean

This document provides an overview of the ILO’s recent and ongoing work on the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in Latin America and the Caribbean.

SSE analysis

Summary of the Diagnosis and Mapping of the Social and Solidarity Economy in Guatemala

“Summary of the Diagnosis and Mapping of the Social and Solidarity Economy in Guatemala” presents a synthesis of a study that maps the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in Guatemala today, and seeks to identify key actors, assess the impact of...

Responsible business practices

Decent work and responsible business practices in the Philippine aquaculture sector

A research analysis on decent work and responsible business practices in the aquaculture sector in the Philippines.

Start.CareCoop

Start.CareCoop facilitator’s guide

Start.CareCoop facilitator’s guide provides in-depth information on how to organize and facilitate trainings. The guide explains how to plan a training session, offers guidance on facilitation techniques, and includes step-by-step descriptions of...

Think.CareCoop

Think.CareCoop facilitator’s guide

Think.CareCoop facilitator’s guide provides in-depth information on how to organize and facilitate training sessions. The guide explains how to plan a training session, offers guidance on facilitation techniques, and includes step-by-step...

Think.CareCoop

Think.CareCoop training guide

A one-day orientation tool designed to help participants understand their care needs and how the cooperative model can address them, highlighting its values and principles, potential benefits and challenges within the care economy, and its relevance...

Training tools

Think.CareCoop and Start.CareCoop

ILO capacity-building tools for quality care services through cooperatives.

Start.CareCoop

Start.CareCoop training guide

A practical five-day training which guides participants through the process of starting a care cooperative by helping them define their business ideas, develop a sustainable business plan, manage finances and craft strategies for community...

Formalization of micro and small enterprises and their workers: Experiences from Senegal

This document is part of a series of case studies by the ENTERPRISES Department of the ILO. Each case study presents one or several approaches that contribute to enterprise formalization across the world. The case studies provide a snapshot on a...

Policy brief

Mapping the social and solidarity economy in Thailand

This brief examines the contours of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in Thailand, emphasizing its contributions to decent work and sustainable development. It outlines relevant legal, institutional and policy frameworks, and identifies...

Report

Innovative Approaches Taken by Workers’ Organizations to Drive Formalization

The report showcases concrete actions taken by trade unions to organize, represent, and provide meaningful services to workers in the informal economy while preventing the informalization of those in the formal economy. It highlights how trade...

ILO Guidance Note

Unlocking more and better jobs: Integrating sustainable enterprises for a just transition in Nationally Determined Contributions

This note provides guidance on integrating sustainable enterprises for a just transition in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It is intended for specialists promoting sustainable enterprises, as well as representatives of governments and...